Lee off to flier as clouds hover

Lee Westwood today made an encouraging start to his challenge for a maiden major title when he birdied his opening hole of the 101st U.S. Open at Southern Hills here in Tulsa.

The 454 yards first was playing downwind but Westwood stood out as one of the few early starters to get it right.

Angel Cabrera, Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington all marked their opening salvo in the season's second major with bogey fives.

But in the gloom of a gathering storm - thunder and lightning is forecast for later in the day when tournament favourite Tiger Woods opens his bid for a fifth successive major - Westwood quickly lost his place among the joint leaders on one under par when he gave the shot back to a testing course at the second hole.

At 467 yards, the par four is rated the most difficult hole on the front nine. It snared both Westwood and the Englishman's playing partner, Tom Lehman.

But Gary Nicklaus tamed it to go one under par before losing the shot at the next. That left him one shot off the lead shared by the American trio of Phil Mickelson, Loren Roberts and Scott Hoch.

Meanwhile, little of the colour has faded from Tommy Bolt's character since the firebrand American won the 1958 US Open here.

In his prime, "Thunder" Bolt was renowned for throwing clubs in fits of temper and for verbal outbursts liberally laced with expletives.

Now, at the age of 85, his language is more restrained but after pondering upon the huge tournament purses, the free courtesy cars, the five-star accommodation and restaurant facilities, and the immaculate nature of the golf courses, Bolt said: "The players are spoiled rotten. They don't appreciate how good they have it.

Bolt claims he banked $8,000 for his four-stroke victory over Gary Player 43 years ago. On Sunday, the winner of the 101st US Open will receive a cheque made out for $900,000.

"They're playing for so much money now," he said. "But I think we actually had more fun. They even work out when they finish a round. What did we do? We went to the bar and had a couple of drinks."